Various systems have been proposed for accessing text image information associated with catalog type sales, wherein each listed item is advertised in the terms of desired quantities, qualities, and so forth. Updates to such systems are done on an occasional or seasonal basis, as new products are added or older products are removed. While some searching of the database may be possible, it generally is limited to the different styles, colors, etc. of products manufactured in large quantities.
Systems also exist which support the sale of unique products or items, such as trucks having particular equipment, or persons having particular characteristics. One example of a system of this type is disclosed in Bijnagte (U.S. Pat. No. 5,235,680), wherein the product is real estate. The system architecture of Bijnagte is limited to that of the host-terminal, however, and all transactions, including picture scanning, are performed on an on-line, interactive basis. Images are limited to 8-bit color and a maximum of sixteen in number, and are further limited in size to dimensions in pixels of 128.times.100 (approximately ¼ screen at relatively low resolution), and data compression is limited to approximately 2:1, which is characteristic of “loss-free” compression in which there is no actual reduction in the amount of data. In addition, only limited means are included to prevent unauthorized access or modification of records.
Another related information system is disclosed by Sibley, Jr. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,677,552), in which commodity market bids are conveyed between remote terminal sites by way of local trade exchanges and satellite communication links. By their very nature, such products are not unique, and would not benefit from the use of image information.
Many identification systems are described in the art, and the methodologies of these approaches cover a wide range of techniques. In some cases, a photograph of a subject or his fingerprint pattern is affixed to an identification card, usually as part of a tamper-resistant assembly. In other approaches, various methods are employed for storing image or password information in a magnetic stripe or in an optically encoded image or pattern that is physically part of the identification card. Still other approaches utilize a “smart card” having its own semiconductor memory and/or microprocessor capability for information storage. Each of these techniques is effective for specific applications, but in each case the security carries a high cost, either in expense for the materials involved, the complexity of the assembly process for the identification card, or the repetitive cost of applying the method to a plurality of individual identification cards utilized for different circumstances. In addition, since a major part of the identification information is carried in the physical identification card itself, it is subject to tampering, alteration, or replication if it falls under the control of an unauthorized user.
Accordingly, there is always a need for improvements in secure identification systems, such as where a seller can communicate unique and or other proprietary business information only to buyers who are confirmed as being authorized to view the information. Preferably, the system is interactive and the user may be identified even if not physically present at the seller's transaction terminal.
An object of this invention is provision of a secure method and apparatus for transacting business between one or more buyers, simultaneously, at respective transaction terminals remote to and in communication with the seller's central server computer.
Advantageously, such a system would enable products and services to be made available to requesters, such as in a “home-shopping” environment, or subscribers, such as consumers who pay for access to seller information, or bidders, such as in on-line buying-selling transactions. In addition, the system would provide for the control and management of data records and images representing items for sale or for reference use, including the ability to update or modify records already entered, using special computer software to provide controlled access to these data records.